Fearless France ready to show Belgium's Henry he picked wrong side

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ISTRA, Russia (Reuters) - France will go into their World Cup semi-final against neighbors Belgium with a “hunger to win” and a desire to show their 1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry that he picked the wrong side, forward Olivier Giroud said on Sunday.

The game, as expected, has monopolized the front pages in both countries, complete with references to their long comic book traditions.

“It is more than a match,” Aujourd’hui en France newspaper said on a full front-page spread that featured the two countries’ most beloved comic characters - Tintin for Belgium and Asterix for France.

Le Journal du Dimanche devoted six pages to the Franco-Belgian friendship and rivalry – this time with an excerpt from an Asterix comic book on its front page, while sports daily L’Equipe twisted Tintin’s “Destination Moon” to feature French and Belgian players.

Giroud said his teammates knew Belgium very well with many players from both teams competing in the English Premier League, including himself.

But he said France were talented and experienced enough to break down Belgium’s defensive “wall” around keeper Thibaut Courtois.

“Courtois is difficult to play against. He is very good in this World Cup with a good defense in front of him,” Giroud said. “There will be gaps that will have to be used,” the forward added.